Readers might recall Mr. Hansen joining three other distinguished scientists (Dr. Ken Caldeira, Senior Scientist, Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution, Dr. Kerry Emanuel, Atmospheric Scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Tom Wigley, Climate Scientist, University of Adelaide and the National Center for Atmospheric Research) in open letter nearly a year ago to promote the use of nuclear energy. – To those influencing environmental policy but opposed to nuclear power

You know, skunks get a bad rap! I admit they do get a little funky at times, but mostly when you mess with them or, worse, run over them with your car. But that smell is nothing compared to what’s coming out of the Edison Mission Energy (EME) bankruptcy proceedings.

Seems the US Bankruptcy Court of Chicago saw fit to grant Edison Mission permission to stiff some 300 current and 160 future retirees out of the large sum of money due to them.

According to Industries News Press, Edison Mission originally wanted to cut these folk’s health and retirement benefits more severely, but the impacted employees decided to fight back in an attempt to get the $70,000,000 owed to them.

The Court decided that, instead of paying the full $70 million due, Edison Mission could get away with only paying some $23 million. According to the article, “the settlement says nonunion retirees’ benefits will remain in effect for a short while longer, while union retirees’ benefits will be paid through March 31, 2015.” By my estimate, that’s a $46 million shortfall or, retirees got a third of what was due to them. Keep that number in mind – $46 million.

Maybe, in this time of financial pain, getting a third of what is due to you is considered a victory for the little guy. On the other hand, my cynical nature leads me to suspect the Lawyers representing both sides of the argument are likely pretty happy with their piece of the pie. (And, he says naively … I hope none of the lawyer fees came out of the pensioner’s $23 million.)

You might wonder why I care, since I’m not a past or current employee of Edison Mission. These things happen all the time! Edison Mission is bankrupt so these people are lucky they got anything … stop whining! Besides, the court agrees with the settlement! Time to move on!

Well, here’s what rubs me the wrong way. I live under the Pinnacle wind plant in Keyser, WV. Edison Mission – Pinnacle’s owner of record in August of 2012 received over $44,000,000 (that’s $44 million) from the United States Treasury Taxpayers as a grant simply for building the 23 turbine wind plant on the Allegheny Front.

In December of 2012, just four damned months after receiving the $44 million Taxpayer subsidy for simply building Pinnacle, the company declared themselves bankrupt. Does anyone acutally believe EME and it’s corporate mother Edison International (EI) were not already working on the bankruptcy at the same time they were running to the Bank to cash the $44 million Taxpayer handout! A bankruptcy of this magnitude isn’t decided over lunch, folks.

Something smells!

Want to know what else smells? The US Treasury Taxpayers handing over $44 million to a for-profit company which, in a mere four months, declares bankruptcy and, now, thanks to a court ruling, the bankrupt company, or one of the other corporate players in this saga, not only gets to keep the $44 million corporate welfare check, the court allows EME to rip off its past and current employees for nearly the same amount – $46 million.

I know nearly every lawyer will claim that it’s apples and oranges and the the Court must rule according to the law and blah and blah and blah – it’s the law, its the law! Well, that might be technically correct … but it’s just not right! The US Bankruptcy Court should be savvy enough to smoke this little cash deal out, and, if current law doesn’t protect employees from this financial slight of hand, the Court should demand Congress give them the tools to act fairly.

Adding salt to the Taxpayer and retirees wounds … EME accused it’s corporate mother, EI, of “plundering Edison Mission of hundreds of millions of dollars before the bankruptcy filing.” I can only assume the $44 million and the $46 million were part of the alleged pirate raid.

But, not to worry, these bickering corporations had a “Kumbayah” moment and “reached a settlement that dropped the threat of litigation and set out a plan to share more than a $1 billion in tax benefits.”

Something smells!.

And what of the remaining players – Edison International and NRG Energy?

Edison International Stock was selling for around $45/share in December 2012. Today it is $56. EME’s Momma came out OK, I’d say.

NRG Energy, a huge energy producer, concluded a purchase of Edison Mission Energy in April of this year. If you watch the market reports lately, this newly minted second largest US power company seems to be doing great. The stock seems to be in a steady climb.

Maybe one of these two corporate giants will kick in a little to the pension fund. I’m sure they feel bad about the employees getting stiffed of the $46 million they planned to live on and now have little working life left to recover. Maybe if NRG Energy or Edison International happen to stumble across the $44 million the US Treasury Taxpayers so generously handed the bankrupt for-profit Edison Mission for just one of their projects, they’ll kick in a little to the retirees.

But frankly, I doubt if any of the gang of three will do what’s right. EME practically said they would have taken even more from the pensioners if they could. I hope I’m wrong, but EI and NRG Energy will likely claim a comfortable distance from the bankruptcy ruling which effectively subsidized their profits on the backs of the pensioners and Taxpayers.

Nah … apples and oranges, remember!

And anyway, the $44 million Taxpayer dollars which subsidized a third of the cost of construction at the Pinnacle wind plant in West Virginia is likely lost in the shuffle of billions floating from ledger to ledger. Gone from the US Taxpayer’s pockets and into the pockets of one of the three for-profit corporations.

It’s not surprising that $44 or $46 million gets lost in the shuffle I suppose. When you consider that more than $20,000,000,000.00 ($20 billion) Taxpayer dollars has been handed out to for-profit corporations just from the 1603 Grant program for renewable energy alone and billions and billions of Taxpayer money is forked over to for-profit companies in the form of Production Tax Credits and other tax incentives. It’s either hard to keep track of these paltry millions or …

Something smells!

It’s my opinion that the US Government Taxpayer should not be subsidizing any for-profit company for anything … anything … anything!

Secondly, we need a level of intelligence and fair play much higher than displayed in this bankruptcy action. Any legal process which allows the taking of committed employee benefits due to corporate’s unintended or intentional mismanagement of finances, while walking away with profits, must be changed.

As the dust settles, the Bankruptcy Judge heads home, the attorneys meet at the country club to discuss tactics for the next case and the retirees and lowly Taxpayers scramble to piece together what’s left of their money in order to pay the monthly bills.

Something smells!

Oh, a question for the officials charged with protecting the Taxpayers of tiny Mineral County, WV – has assurance been given that all agreements, including the poorly constructed decommission agreement, are safe from the same peril experienced by the pensioners?

And while you’re at it, with which corporate entity will the County leaders revisit the Decommission Agreement in just a few years? Just kidding … I realize that’s an unfair question. With the way these wind LLC’s change names and ownership passed around like hot potatoes, who knows who will own Pinnacle in 2 – 3 years?

But, look at the bright side … maybe when Pinnacle’s massive Japanese made turbines mounted on the huge Mexican made towers come tumbling down, someone might find the $44 million in subsidies the US Treasury Taxpayers handed to the for-profit Edison Mission Energy four months before it declared bankruptcy tucked away inside. Wouldn’t that be a hoot!

In fairness, there’s no doubt I’m missing something. One of these kindly corporations will let me know I’m wrong and that they are, in fact, looking out for the little guy. I’ll probably get comments from NRG Energy, EI or even EME explaining how they made the retirees whole and how the Taxpayers should be proud of their investment in the now bankrupt EME. Heck, I’ll probably feel so bad that I ranted on about this topic that I’ll immediately begin working on my apology. I’m ready to eat crow!

And, who knows … I might finally hear back from the elected officials I penned the open letter to way back in August of 2011.

But, until all that happens, I hope you don’t mind if I hang out with the skunk!

Why? Seems the fund management is “wary of investing because of the insecure role that government subsidies play” and, they note, successful investment in wind is “largely dependent on subsidies and tax advantages.” The fund managers cite the changing rules for industrial wind in Spain as example of their concern, where subsidies were again pulled back.

On the other hand, investor extraordinaire Warren Buffett, presumably expecting that US taxpayers will be on the industrial wind hook for years to come, is very happy to toss investor money at the twirling energy impostors noting his comfort in accepting the generosity of Taxpayers with this statement – “I will do anything that is basically covered by the law to reduce Berkshire’s tax rate. For example, on wind energy, we get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That’s the only reason to build them. They don’t make sense without the tax credit.” – (US News, 5/12/2014,) (h/t SOAR)

By the way … from the “want a little cheese with that whine?” file – the fellow who runs EverPower Wind Holdings says the just signed Ohio law which stops increases in requirements for the use of renewable energy essentially ruins the possibility of any new large-scale wind development.

That’s an amazing admission, don’t you think? Why on earth would a for-profit company admit that their product is so terrible it takes a law demanding its use just to keep it alive? Do these profiteers actually think their Customers, and the Taxpayers who are required to help put the profit in their pocket, are that stupid? Oh … wait … maybe that stupidity is what Mr. Buffett is banking on as well.

Back to the Dutch investment thing that got me started this whole rambling post – it was all about the logic of investing pension funds in industrial wind. According to the source article, the investment firm we’re talking about is the biggest pension administrator in the Netherlands, and also one of the biggest in the world, with management assets of €359 billion. No small potatoes and their answer to industrial wind is no!

This reminded me of an AT post from a couple of years ago when I questioned the logic of a $240 million investment in Edison Mission Energy. The firm representing teacher pension funds thought it was an excellent partnership even though it came at a time when Edison Mission Energy’s parent, Edison International, was issuing stern warnings to the subsidiary to either shape up or ship out. In addition, the “development pipeline of potential wind projects has been reduced to 1,300 megawatts from 3,800 megawatts.” The decision to reduce commitment to wind came “as a result of capital resource constraints and limited market opportunities.”

Just months later Edison Mission Energy filed for bankruptcy and it’s assets were purchased by NRG Energy. Hopefully all worked out well for the teachers, although I would be hard pressed to believe this is the path the investment adviser had in mind when the deal was signed. Seems to me this is more likely a case of the blind squirrel finding an acorn once in a while. But, who knows, maybe the teachers actually have a little more cash in their pockets as a result of their investment in a soon-to-be bankrupt company … but I’m almost certain the Taxpayer’s do not!

How much did he “plow” in? Seems Mr. Buffett didn’t even know, but, when told by an aide that the number was $15 Billion, he immediately said he’d double his investment – presumably in an attempt to impress his ever-swooning investors. Wonder how many of those folks realized they might also be personally doubling down, in more ways than one?

How? The same investors who initially place their hard earned cash in the kindly man’s hands to manage as investment, are happy to additionally give to Mr. Buffett and – by extension – to themselves, their own money in the form of taxpayer subsidies. Benefiting from all this shifting of billions is, of course, the industrial wind profiteers.

I find it interesting that Mr. Buffett, creator of “a bold plan” to correct the injustice brought on by income inequality, stated recently, “I will do anything that is basically covered by the law to reduce Berkshire’s tax rate. For example, on wind energy, we get a tax credit if we build a lot of wind farms. That’s the only reason to build them. They don’t make sense without the tax credit.” (US News, 5/12/2014,) (h/t SOAR)

Mr. Buffett’s use of tax credits to increase his profits is a classic example of why I don’t support any taxpayer subsidy for any profit based private company such as Berkshire Hathaway.

To my mind, Mr. Buffett should set the example by refusing subsidies and, were he serious about fairness to taxpayers, should come out strongly against the continuation of the Production Tax Credit for Industrial Wind. After all, this is the same Warren Buffett who stated 2011 that he believed it was wrong that rich people, like himself, could pay less in federal taxes, as a portion of income, than the middle class, and voiced support for increased income taxes on the wealthy.

But, around the same time Mr. Buffett was railing against the rich not paying enough in taxes, he had no trouble suing the Federal Government over … yep … taxes. The Federal Government decided to counter sue and likely the taxpayers will pay legal fees for the government’s plead and Mr. Buffett’s own investors, with help from taxpayer subsidies, will pay for Mr. Buffett’s side. Notice how taxpayers always end up on both sides of the equation?

Even the NY Times noted at the time of the lawsuit volley that “it is an odd twist that a company controlled by Mr. Buffett — perhaps the most outspoken businessman in the country in support of raising taxes on the “mega-rich” — is now in a dispute with the government over his company’s paying too little in taxes.”

Once again, the Senate Committee that manages to make life miserable for millions of tax-paying Americans with its manipulation of the US Tax Code, is acting to aid its friends, punish ordinary taxpayers, and load another $85 billion in debt on our children and grandchildren.

On April 3, 2014, by “voice” (no fingerprints) vote, the Senate Finance Committee reported out an $85 billion tax break ”extender” bill — which the Committee calls the “EXPIRE Act.” [1] The bill includes billions in unwarranted tax breaks for special interests, including the wind industry.

As long as Congress fails to pass a balanced budget, every dollar provided to special interests in this $85 billion “Extender” bill is a direct addition to the national debt that will be dumped on our children and grandchildren. Further, each dollar that Congress adds to the national debt will be DOUBLED in about 15 years due to interest that will accrue on that debt.

An egregious example of an unwarranted special interest tax break in the Finance Committee’s bill is Senator Grassley’s wind and other renewable energy “Production Tax Credit” (PTC) and “Investment Tax Credit” (ITC). Grassley insisted on extending this 20-year old “temporary” tax break for another 2 years at a cost, according to the Joint Tax Committee, of more than $13 billion over the next 10 years (and more thereafter).

The votes for Grassley’s $13+ billion wind PTC and ITC extension to benefit “wind farm” owners would result in an equal addition to future generations’ debt burden! Under Grassley’s measure, owners of “wind farms” would be able to continue reducing their corporate income tax liability by $0.023 (adjusted upward for inflation) for each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity produced by their wind turbines during the next 10 years.

The wind PTC was initially passed in 1992 as a temporary incentive to help a then fledgling industry – with the expectation that wind energy would be environmentally benign and would become commercially viable. However, after nearly 40 years of subsidies for wind energy R&D and 20 years of lucrative wind energy tax breaks — together totaling over $100 billion:

Electricity from wind remains high in true cost and low in real value[3] – with the wind industry providing no evidence that electricity from wind will ever become commercially viable (i.e., without large tax breaks and subsidies).

Producing electricity from wind has proven to have numerous adverse environmental, economic, electric system reliability, scenic, and property value impacts not originally foreseen and still not admitted by wind industry advocates; and

Eight Republicans[4] (some claiming to be “conservatives”) and 110 Democrats in the US House of Representatives have signed a letter to House leaders urging extension of the wind PTC. The tax-writing House Ways & Means Committee hasn’t taken up the wind PTC, but one of the wind industry’s Washington lobbyists has bragged that the wind industry still has “very strong support from Democrats in the House and strong support from some, but not all, of the Republicans.”[5]

Last December, Senator Grassley told constituents in Iowa that the costly wind Production Tax Credit (PTC) would be extended soon. “…Congress will come back after the New Year and approve four dozen or more tax credits.” “There are a lot of economic interests”…represented in the tax credits. Those interest groups collectively “put a lot of pressure on Congress to re-institute the credits’[6]

In addition to wind industry lobbyists, Grassley undoubtedly was referring to such Washington establishment organizations as the US Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, and Business Roundtable. Organizations such as these once championed private enterprise but now seem to be heavily influenced by member companies that:

Have concluded that there is less risk and more profit in “mining” Washington for tax breaks and subsidies than in pursing truly innovative and productive activities in private, competitive markets.

Have no problem in accepting special interest tax breaks that load debt on future generations.

The April 3rd action by the Senate Finance Committee certainly helps explain why a recent Gallup Survey shows that Congress currently has a 13% favorability rating. If the nation’s “Millennials” understand how the Congress is adding to the debt that they and their children will bear, they may assign an even lower rating!

Glenn R. Schleede
Virginia

[1] Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency (EXPIRE) Act.
[2] See “Results of [Senate Finance Committee] Executive Session.040314” download 4/9/14 from: http://www.finance.senate.gov/legislation/details/?id=67094f10-5056-a032-52ff-257830e0a938
[3] Electricity is produced by wind turbines only when wind speeds are in the right range (starting around 6 MPH, reaching rated capacity around 32 MPH, and cutting out around 55 MPH). Electricity from wind turbines is, therefore, low in value because it is intermittent, volatile, unreliable, and most likely to be produced at night in colder months, not on hot weekday afternoons when most needed. Reliable generating using conventional energy sources must always be available to maintain stable electric grids and a reliable electricity supply.
[4] King (IA), Lucas (OK), Runyan (NJ), Fitzpatrick (PA), Gibson (NY), Latham (IA), Noem (SD). Cole (OK).
[5] http://www.snl.com/Interactivex/article.aspx?CdId=A-27696241-11565 (downloaded April 11, 2014)
[6] The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), December 11, 2013.

Glenn and Sandra Schleede are fed up with their “irresponsible representatives” in Washington and have chosen to let them know. We thank them for allowing us to share the open letter they sent to Republican leadership.

Letter begins:

April 10, 2013

Memorandum for:

Chairmen, National Republican Senatorial Committee

National Republic Congressional Committee

Republican National Committee

SUBJECT: Irresponsible Republican Senators

During the last few weeks, we have received 17 requests for contributions from you or your organizations. We will not contribute to your organizations or to any Republican member who continues to ignore the real interests of ordinary citizens and taxpayers and loads debt on our children and grandchildren.

Recent example: On April 3, 2014, 5 Republican members of the Senate Finance Committee voted with Committee Democrats to preserve unwarranted special interest tax breaks in the latest “Extender” bill, which bill the Committee calls the “EXPIRE Act.”[1]

As long as Congress fails to pass a balanced budget, every dollar provided to special interests in this $85 billion “Extender” bill is a direct addition to the national debt that will be dumped on our children and grandchildren. Note also that each dollar that Congress adds to the national debt will be DOUBLED in 15 years or less due to the interest that is accruing on that debt.

An egregious example of an unwarranted special interest tax break in the Committee’s bill is Senator Grassley’s wind and other renewable energy “Production Tax Credit” (PTC) and Investment Tax Credit (ITC). Grassley insisted on extending this 20-year old “temporary” tax break for another 2 years at a cost, according to the Joint Tax Committee, of more than $13 billion over the next 10 years (and more thereafter).

When Senator Toomey attempted to eliminate unwarranted energy tax breaks from the bill, Senator Grassley and at least 4 other Republicans (Cornyn, Thune, Crapo, & Portman)[2] joined with Finance Committee Democrats to keep the tax breaks in the bill!

How can any of us take Republicans seriously when members of the Senate and House continue to vote to protect unwarranted special interest tax while they vote to dump more debt on future generations? Their votes for the wind PTC are equal to a direct transfer from future generations’ debt burden to the pockets of today’s “wind farm” owners!

Under Grassley’s measure, owners of “wind farms” would be able to continue reducing their income tax liability by $0.023 (adjusted upward for inflation) for each kilowatt-hour of electricity produced by their wind turbines during the next 10 years.

The wind PTC was initially passed in 1992 as a temporary incentive to help a then fledgling industry – with the expectation that wind energy would be environmentally benign and would become commercially viable. However, after 40 years of subsidies for wind energy R&D and 20 years of lucrative wind energy tax breaks for “wind farm” owners, together totaling over $100 billion:

Electricity from wind remains high in true cost and low in real value – with the wind industry providing no evidence that electricity from wind will ever become commercially viable (i.e., without large tax breaks and subsidies).

Producing electricity from wind has proven to have numerous adverse environmental, economic, electric system reliability, scenic, and property value impacts not originally foreseen and still not admitted by wind industry advocates.

The actions by Senator Grassley, the other four Republican Senators, and eight members of the House[3] (some claiming to be “conservatives”) who are urging extension of the wind PTC help illustrate why so many ordinary Americans are so fed up with long-standing members of Congress.

Of course, we have no way of matching the campaign contributions that members get from special interests whose tax breaks they are preserving — including organizations represented by hundreds of associations, NGOs, law firms, and their lobbyists.

We also recognize that members are eager to please contributors from such Washington establishment organizations as such as the US Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, and Business Roundtable – organizations that once championed private enterprise but now speak for companies that:

Have concluded that there is less risk and more profit in “mining” Washington for tax breaks and subsidies than in pursing truly innovative and productive activities in private, competitive markets.

Have no problem in accepting special interest tax breaks that load debt on future generations.

However, we will limit the contributions we can afford to those candidates who will vote to stop special interest tax breaks such as those promoted and protected by Senator Grassley and those of like performance who are so willing to dump debt on our children and grandchildren.

Allegheny Treasures Note: “Mr. Schleede is the author of many papers and reports on energy matters. He is now retired but continues to analyze and write about federal and state energy policies, particularly those affecting wind energy.”

“Until retiring, Schleede maintained a consulting practice, Energy Market and Policy Analysis, Inc. (EMPA) Prior to forming EMPA, Schleede was Vice President of New England Electric System (NEES), Westborough, MA, and President of its fuels subsidiary, New England Energy Incorporated. Previously, Schleede was Executive Associate Director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (1981), Senior VP of the National Coal Association in Washington (1977) and Associate Director (Energy and Science) of the White House Domestic Council (1973). He also held career service positions in the U.S. OMB and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.”

“He has a BA degree from Gustavus Adolphus College and an MA from the University of Minnesota. He is also a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.“

“The wind industry consumes nearly 80 percent of all federal subsidy dollars for renewable energy and 55 percent of all federal energy subsidies, according to David Brown, senior vice president for government affairs for Exelon, a nuclear power company. Because wind farms almost always are located far from where the energy will be used, power companies must construct huge transmission lines to take in this additional capacity they do not need. And since wind performs worst when it’s needed most, those traditional power companies it does so much to undermine must stand ready to make up for the needs it cannot meet.” – Conn Carroll

But, who cares! Certainly not the majority of members of the Senate Finance Committee who decided to recommend that taxpayers once again fill the tin cup of the for-profit industrial wind business.

Yep! Confirming once again that it is beyond the ability of Congress to construct a comprehensive, fair and effective tax law, the Committee instead issued a patch-work quilt of fixes known as the EXPIRE Act. Sadly, EXPIRE has nothing to do with term limits for elected officials. EXPIRE is actually short for “Expiring Provisions Improvement Reform and Efficiency Act” or, as the Senate Finance Committee web site further clarifies, “an original bill entitled “The Tax Technical Corrections Act of 2014” (The Tax Technical Corrections Act of 2014 includes both technical corrections and deadwood provisions, which are described separately in the attachments); and to fill vacancies on subcommittees, the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Congressional Oversight Group, and the Congressional Trade Advisors on Trade Policy and Negotiations.” And no … unfortunately … the “deadwood provisions” mentioned have nothing to do with term limits for elected officials either.

Now might be a good time to remind ourselves that, in spite of the valiant efforts of the wind industry lobby to nominate wind companies to energy sainthood, wind companies are in it for the buck. You might recall comments made a couple of years ago by Gabriel Alonzo, then chief executive of Horizon Wind, who told his employees that their goal isn’t to stage a renewable-energy revolution, “This is all about making money!”

Now don’t get me wrong … I certainly don’t mind a leader suggesting that profit is the reason for his company’s existence. I also don’t mind that, unless I’m mistaken, this is the same Gabriel Alonzo currently listed by the American Wind Energy Association as Board Chair. After all, making profit is why folks go into business and you certainly can’t fault AWEA for having him guide the organization. AWEA’s job is to insure the field is set for their members to make a hefty profit. And, after all, isn’t profit the ultimate reason they lobby congress so hard for legislation such as the EXPIRE Act? They are, after all, the American Wind Energy Association, “the premier organization representing the interests of America’s wind energy industry.”

But what concerns and confuses me is how we get our arms around exactly how much of the US Taxpayer’s investment in these companies actually gets back to US Taxpayers.

For example, let’s go back to Mr. Alonzo. Beyond his role heading the Board of the wind industry lobby, he is also listed as Chief Executive Officer of EDP Renewables North America LLC (EDPR NA). If I read it right, the EDP NA which Mr. Alonzo leads is the North American division of EDP Renewables (Euronext: EDPR), a self-described global renewable energy company. Global EDP Renewables then, is a component of Energias de Portugal, S.A. (“EDP”), which describes itself as a vertically-integrated utility company, headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, and the majority shareholder of EDP Renewables of which the North American group is a part. Is this making sense?

Rather, I use this example to illustrate how assessing the true impact of the EXPIRE Act, a seemingly simple “mom and apple pie” patch-work quilt of fixes to a cumbersome tax code, is far more complicated than we Taxpayers are led to believe. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the very politicians who are thrilled to hand Taxpayer money to these companies don’t fully understand the consequences of their actions. But then, maybe we haven’t really challenged them to do so, have we!

We too often let them off the hook, falling for their blubber about jobs and green and mom and apple pie. And we’re obviously satisfied with that nonsense … after all, we do keep sending them back!

But, if you are as confused as I am, maybe you could contact your Congress and Senate Representatives, who are expected to vote on this legislation, to help you understand. Ask them specifically what return you can expect to see for your hard-earned tax dollar investment in these for-profit businesses.

I guarantee Mr. Alonzo is expected to account for every dollar which moves in and out of his company. If not, he’ll be replaced. Why then should we not ask the politicians so eager to hand out your hard-earned cash to do the same?

Oh … if your Representatives tell you that it’s all too complicated and all they can promise is “apple pie” … tell them you want your damned money back!

Well, folks … typical of DC … there’s a last minute rush to piece together a means to spend more of your cash. Lacking any ability to properly care for your money, politicians who fill the seats of the critical Senate Finance Committee again find themselves replacing order with chaos in their attempt to extend tax incentives to energy producers.

The committee did release a proposal yesterday and surprisingly, in spite of the Democratic Chairman and his Republican counterpart’s support, they didn’t include the 20+ year old Production Tax Credit (PTC), a subsidy which has long benefited energy’s “tin cup” stepchild – industrial wind.

One might take this as a sign that logic has taken over Congress but, do not fear, the for-profit wind industry lobby is heading to the Capitol to remind our legislators how much they contributed to the last campaign their product needs taxpayer support. And after all, lobbyists and Congress have one thing in common, they both believe your money is their money.

This story is moving quickly and already Senator Grassley, a staunch fiscal conservative and, simultaneously, seeker of all things subsidy for his constituents, is preparing an amendment to attach to the proposal this Thursday which, if successful, will transfer even more dollars from your pocket to the pockets of the industrial wind profiteers.

If you want to know a bit more, here is my quick take. But I warn you … this story is changing rapidly so I recommend you hook up to your favorite news source and follow along.

An article in the Washington Examiner sent to me by my friends at SOAR – Save Our Allegheny Ridges, noted that yesterday’s committee proposal was bipartisan in its exclusion of the industrial wind subsidy. The article also noted that there is bipartisan support for renewal of the PTC for wind by legislators from “breezier states in the West and Midwest” who believe a “a long-term congressional commitment” is necessary to keep this industry alive.

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that the PTC, which was intended to be a temporary start-up assist but then blossomed into a twenty plus year Taxpayer-funded life-support system for the for-profit wind industry, does not, by congressional standards, qualify as “long term.” They really don’t understand the concept of “term limits,” do they!

Orrin Hatch of Utah took the honors for the most ridiculous quote in support of wind noting that, “Like all businesses, the wind industry seeks certainty and predictability.” The Senator perhaps fails to understand that, when it comes to electricity generation to meet a demand based market, it is the lack of “certainty and predictability” which finally dooms industrial wind.

We at Allegheny Treasures think you should contact your Senator and voice your opinion. Whether you support the Production Tax Credit or not, you should make your opinion known.

If you’re in favor of extending a subsidy to a for-profit business which hawks a supply driven product in a demand driven market then industrial wind is for you. If you favor sending your hard earned tax dollars to a for-profit business which has already cost US Taxpayers billions over the past 20 years and, thanks to last years extension, now obligates Taxpayers – YOU – to pay an additional $12 billion ($12,000,000,000.00) over the next 10 years, you should let your Senator know how happy you are.

As for me, enough is enough! Money is tight and I want to see tax dollars invested in truly innovative solutions which lead us to modern and effective demand-driven electricity generators which will provide for our future energy needs and simultaneously protect our environment.

Here’s the note I sent to my Senator Rockefeller’s legislative aide on the issue:

Sir,

I am opposed to inclusion of the Production Tax Credit for Industrial Wind in any legislation.

It is well past time for this industry to succeed or fail on its own merit, having received taxpayer funding for more than twenty years.

Please insure the Senator does not allow the PCT to be included in any legislation out of committee.

Short and to the point. Took me less than a minute.

You might consider doing the same. After all … IT’S YOUR MONEY!

Thankfully, I didn’t have to send a note to my other Senator, Joe Manchin. Manchin, along with Lamar Alexander and several others, recently sent a letter to the Senate Finance committee stating that we should end the taxpayer funded Production Tax Credit for industrial wind.

Please visit MasterResource – a free-market energy blog – for the full text of Mr. Martis’ testimony as well as many of the excellent and informative discussions related to the past, present and future of energy.

Howard Mansfield tells the story of Romaine Tenney, a bachelor farmer. According to Mr. Mansfield’s compelling story, Tenney “milked 25 cows by hand on his farm in Ascutney, Vermont. He had no electricity in his house, used no gas-powered machinery. He cut his firewood with an axe and a saw; cut his hay with workhorses. He didn’t own a tractor or drive a car. When he went to the nearby big town of Claremont, across the river in New Hampshire, he’d walk the six miles–except that he probably never walked all the way. People always picked him up. Everyone knew Romaine. With his long beard, felt hat, and overalls, he was a familiar sight. Romaine enjoyed visiting on these rides, and all his neighbors liked him. His farm was right on the major road between Ascutney and Claremont; the road hugged his cow barn, and neighbors would often stop to chat. He rose late and worked late into the night. “You could drive by at midnight and there he would be in his barn, fixing some harnesses or just puttering about,” said Deputy Sheriff Robert Gale. It was as if Romaine held the office of Bachelor Farmer in town.”

Mr. Umling, who provided us with the link, has a very personal interest in this story and, it’s worth noting, a story of his own about his plan to get back to such a life. We interviewed Mr. Umling regarding his book in a January 2012 post – Lifestyle Lost – A Conversation with Dave Umling

Mr. Umling’s “Lifestyle Lost” is available in a variety of format’s at Amazon.com.